Elyssa
Elyssa appears in the campaign Under the Burning Suns, in the 2nd scenario named Across the Harsh Sands. She is a loyal Red Mage. The first time Kaleh, Nym, Garak and Zhul see her, Elyssa is running away from Go'hag's undeads. Once these defeated, Elyssa explain she accidentally managed to anger a powerful necromancer a while ago (and that seems to be a long story) ; she's a fire mage, traveling for quite a while, exploring and learning. But as these sands are particularly inhospitable, she asks our heroes to join them for a while. If Elyssa is still alive, she stays with them and is recalled at the beiginning of each following scenario until the 7th. She tells them she has been searching for secrets from the past. This entire land used to be a huge empire ; apparently this used to all be great plains and farmland, before the sands came. Before the Great Fall, there were huge cities, with great schools of magery, libraries of books, vast repositories of knowledge. Most of it was destroyed in the ensuing chaos and years of decay, but Elyssa is searching for the little fragments that are left, especially the Sceptre of Fire. But she is not sure what it is. She has read various references to it, but nothing specific. She has been searching for it for a long time. All she knows is that it was a very powerful magical wand and that it was some sort of symbol of royalty in the old empire, but she has no idea where it might be. So she scours the land, learning all she can about the olden days. She is sure it must be somewhere. Later, she learned them that other creatures besides orcs dig tunnels in the earth. Long ago dwarves mined mountains such as these, and huge trolls like to hide in the deep dark places under the earth. As she does not fear darkness, they won't be lacking a source of fire or light. Then, as they reach an unnatural underground passage, she wonders if there are any dwarves still left in mountains. She has not met dwarves or trolls yet, she does not often explore underground unless she has to. There are lots of nasty things that lurk far away from the light of the suns. But she has read a bit about them, and have even met a few people who had dealings with dwarves. Elyssa tells them dwarves are a proud people, and some would say greedy. They love their gold and fine metals, and forge many beautiful things. She warns them dwarves have little liking for elves. There was some betrayal many years ago, though she does not know what happened. Trolls and dwarves are natural enemies, living so close together. And many would say trolls are little more than brutes and savages. Trolls are huge and very strong, with skin as hard as stone, and can be fearsome foes. But Elyssa knew one man long ago who traded with a group of trolls and said they were quite honorable, as long as you didn't try to cheat them. She then tells Nym that spiders are not insects. And later on, she recognises a dwarf. In the 7th senario, Elyssa quit them. She has learned a lot about the trolls / dwarves in her time here, and yet there's so much more to learn. She is impressed by their skills (in forgering for dwarves, in magic for trolls). Dwarves know about the dwarven clan who helped craft the Sceptre of Fire ; Trolls still teach magic though she thought she was one of the last people still practicing magic. As a farewell gift, she gives them a Flaming Sword. Quotes * Back, you fiends ! Or I’ll kill you a second time ! * Stupid undead, they never listen. Then have a taste of my flame ! * I have enchanted this fire blade for you. May its flames always light your path, and strike down your enemies. I give this to all of you as a token of my gratitude. Category:Under the Burning Suns Category:Character Category:Female Category:Human Category:Red Mage Category:Loyal